


Pawprints

by AshTheFannibal (Nicestofthedamned)



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Domestic Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Established Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:10:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22045861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicestofthedamned/pseuds/AshTheFannibal
Summary: Hannibal takes a liking to two cats that decide to move into their yard. Will sees the opportunity to revisit the discussion about an indoor dog. Everyone is happy with the arrangement.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 11
Kudos: 46





	Pawprints

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CassieRaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassieRaven/gifts).

> This is just a short thought I had about Hannibal enjoying watching cats hunt and having them to prepare food for.

The two felines hadn't planned on moving into Will and Hannibal's yard. They weren't exactly wild cats, they weren't feral but had been living in a colony of feral cats. After one too many fights they split off from the community and now found their way to their house. Instead of fighting twenty other cats for water and bites of dry food they were being cooked for. Hannibal would never admit that he had two new outdoor companions, or pets as it might be considered. He couldn't pass up the opportunity to cook for new friends though.

One of them was a petite black cat with glorious shiny black fur that was considered a medium-length coat. Her legs were short, her golden eyes wide and soulful and her tail fluffed out into an impressive plume. Her companion was a grey and marble tabby cat. He was missing a tip-off of the end of his left ear from being neutered in the feral colony. The little black cat had been fixed before being dropped at the cat community. They were gorgeous felines. 

Hannibal enjoyed watching them hunt. In the mornings he would watch from the window as he waited for his coffee. Usually, they were stalking a visitor to their bird feeder or climbing a tree to take down a squirrel. When the hint dissolved into friendly wrestling with one another Hannibal would bring them fresh water and breakfast. He had spent some time on his tablet looking into the raw diet for the obligate carnivore. He didn't have any cats, but he wanted his furry friends to be as healthy and well to hunt as they could be. He bought the necessary vitamins to supplement their home-prepared raw meat diet. 

He told Will it was like putting seed in the bird feeder. He was just feeding the animals that he enjoyed watching. Will tried to put out some scraps of potatoes that had been stuck to the bottom of the dish. He was scolded by his husband for it though so he never tried to feed the cats again.

“They don't eat potatoes, Will, they're carnivores, pure carnivores. “ Hannibal said scooping up the discarded potatoes to toss into the trash. Will didn't get upset, he just snickered at Hannibal and thought  _ No pets my ass, you silly man in denial.  _

It all changed one morning when Hannibal was late to the window and missed their hunt. When he started to step out onto the patio there was a body in the way. A small black bird lay in perfect stillness on the first step. The tabby was sound asleep in the flower basket, but the little black cat was watching Hannibal with wide eyes. 

“Thank you for the gift, Artemis,” Hannibal said and bowed his head.

“Luna?” Will said behind him. “They have names now?”

“They might as well,” Hannibal said without turning to see Will's smirk. 

“The tabby, the boy is called Apollo,” he said answering a question that Will only thought but never spoke out loud.

Over the next few weeks, Hannibal began to plant clovers and other green plants to draw small animals to visit the yard. He put in a filtered drinking fountain for his friends. He set up wildlife cameras to see his friends taking down the visitors. It wasn't long before Artemis brought him a small mole to the porch. 

Hannibal was laying in bed watching the video feed to see if he could see Artemis taking down the mole. Will curled up beside him and rested his head on his stomach and wrapped an arm across his legs. 

“When are they moving inside?” Will asked

“I can't condemn them to a prison cell, Will. It's not where they're meant to dwell.” Hannibal answered.

“Well then maybe we can get a dog that will live indoors,” Will said with a squeeze to Hannibal's thigh. 

“Maybe we can, dear Will,” Hannibal replied causing Will's eyes to light up. Up until now, Hannibal had always said that they couldn't have a dog indoors if they would be on the furniture and certainly not in their bed. Will thought not allowing a dog to be a part of the family and on the furniture was not fair so he dropped the topic of having a dog. It seems that Hannibal's fascination with the outdoor predators that he had befriended had softened him to the idea of a dog living with them.

“You know that will mean a dog will be on our furniture and most definitely in our bed,” Will said lifting his head to give Hannibal an irresistible look of longing before lowering his eyes slowly. 

“I do, I understand,” Hannibal replied. “Will it make you truly happy?”

“Yes, love,” Will answered. Hannibal put down his tablet and kissed Will's soft dark curls. 

“Then you shall have your canine companion indoors with us,” Hannibal said and Will felt his heart melt at the words. 

“Let's get Artemis and Apollo a special meal. They opened the doors for me to adopt a dog so I want to treat them for their assistance. “ Will said.

Hannibal kissed Will's ear and whispered: “as you wish.”


End file.
